


Casual/Formal

by supercalvin



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Alternate Universe - Office, Fluff, M/M, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-29
Updated: 2015-07-29
Packaged: 2018-04-11 20:39:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4451558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supercalvin/pseuds/supercalvin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin was having a breakdown and Arthur was wearing jeans.<br/>Arthur was having a breakdown and Merlin was wearing a suit.<br/>OR<br/>Morgana and Gwen conspire to get Merlin and Arthur together via fashion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Casual/Formal

Merlin was having a breakdown and Arthur was wearing jeans.

These things weren’t related according to Merlin, but Gwen was smarter than that. Lance noticed Merlin’s break down, but his outright laughing wasn’t really helping the whole situation.

“I am not freaking out.” Merlin said with his arms crossed.

“Merlin.” Gwen said with a small smile that said she was trying to not laugh. “You’re hiding in a closet.”

“I am not hiding. I am looking for…” He looked around the closet until his eyes landed on “Paper towels” he said.

“Right.” Gwen said, “And now that you found them?” She had to bite her lips from laughing. Lance didn’t hold back his laugh as he stood in storage closet, looking like he was there just to make fun of Merlin.

Merlin looked at the paper towels and then back at his best friends. He looked betrayed and he wasn’t sure if it was because of his friends, the paper towels, or Arthur’s jeans.

“What do you need paper towels for?” Lance asked.

“For my tears after you laugh at me.” Merlin snapped, sounding more dramatically tragic than angry.

“I don’t think this is our fault.” Lance pointed out and Gwen nodded.

“Right” Merlin nodded determinedly. “It’s Arthur’s fault.”

This only made Lance laugh again. A secretary walked by the storage closet and saw the three of them huddled around a roll of paper towels. They paused, but they only looked for a moment before continuing on.

“And why is this Arthur’s fault?” Lance asked.

“The jeans.” Gwen nodded solemnly.

Merlin hit his head against the storage shelves twice before he leaned against them with a rattle. “He’s worn a suit for the past two years. Black or grey. White shirt, maybe blue or red if he’s feeling adventurous. I’ve even been to his flat. He doesn’t own anything but ties and cufflinks.”

Lance said under his breath “Merlin’s picking out Arthur’s clothes now?” but Gwen elbowed him in the side to stop him from continuing down that route. Merlin and Arthur had been skirting around dating for two years and Gwen had been waiting for this moment. Fortunately, Merlin was too involved in Arthur’s jeans to notice.

“Jeans, Gwen. Jeans.” Merlin lamented. “And a T-shirt. Not even a sports jacket with it. I can see his naked biceps.” Merlin made an interesting whining noise and banged his head against the shelves again.

Lance snorted again, but this time he had the decency to cover his mouth to stop him from laughing more.

“Gwen?”

Sefa was at the entrance of the closet, looking like she wasn’t sure why her boss was in the storage closet with the CEO’s assistant and the lawyer from floor seven.

“Give us a minute, Sefa?” Gwen said with a smile while Merlin gripped the paper towels tighter.

She looked at Merlin and back at Gwen. She leaned closer and whispered, “Is this about Mr. Pendragon’s casual attire?”

“I’m going to die. Goodbye cruel world.” Merlin groaned.

Lance shrugged. “Jeans and a t-shirt: deadly weapons.”

Gwen nodded, “Just place Morgana’s files on my desk, Sefa. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Sefa nodded and left the storage closet.

“Okay, I’m making an executive decision.” Gwen took the roll of paper towels from Merlin’s tight grip and placed them back on the shelf. “You’re going back to work.”

“No!” Merlin “I think I have the flu. Feel my head. I’m burning up.” Merlin grabbed Gwen’s hand and placed it on his forehead.

“Yeah, he’s burning up alright.” Lance said “For Arthur’s t-shirt.”

Merlin pointed an accusing finger and said seriously, “I can see his pectorals. I might die.”

Gwen pushed him out of the closet. Almost a foot shorter than him, they looked hilarious as the lanky man was physically pushed out of the closet. “Suck it up, Merlin.” She grunted as he tried to go back into the closet, holding onto the doorframe. Lance stood in the hall, arms crossed, watching with an amused expression.

“Merlin?”

All three of them snapped their heads up to see Arthur Pendragon standing in the hallway. Merlin paused in his attempt to get back into the closet, Gwen looked up from where her hands were roughly grabbing Merlin’s sweater.

“Arthur!” Merlin squeaked. Gwen groaned and dropped her hands. Without her holding him up, Merlin stumbled and fell into the wall.

Merlin was right on some accounts. The tight t-shirt stretched over Arthur’s pectorals and his biceps were in fact very nice to look at. Gwen still doubted Merlin would die from sexual frustration.

“Do I want to know?” Arthur asked Lance.

“Probably not.” Lance said.

“I’ll trust you on that.” Arthur nodded. “Merlin, I’m off for the rest of the day. Finish the Ruadan report and call Olaf about our meeting tomorrow.” Merlin nodded his head, looking like a blushing fish. Arthur gave him a concerned look before turning to Gwen. “I wanted to say thanks again for the gift, Gwen.  The jeans are perfect for my days off.” He waved a hand and went back the way he came.

“You traitor.” Merlin hissed as soon as Arthur was out of earshot.

“One day, Merlin, one day you’ll listen to me.” She said as she took Lance’s hand and walked down the hall.

“I trusted you!” Merlin lamented and Gwen couldn’t help but think they were one step closer.

***

Arthur was having a breakdown and Merlin was wearing a suit.

Morgana knew that these things were related, but she doubted that Arthur did.

“Look Morgana, I just need a minute to collect my thoughts.” Arthur said.

The banquet was still going on outside, but Arthur was leaning his elbows against the restroom sink. Leon was resting his back against the wall and Morgana was standing in front of both of them, hands on her hips and giving Arthur a death glare through the mirror.

“It’s okay to be nervous about the speech, Arthur.” Leon said. If Morgana hadn’t been dating Leon she would have thought he was as dense as her half-brother, but she knew he was trying to make it easier for his best friend. Unfortunately, Morgana wasn’t going to be as nice.

“It’s also okay to think Merlin looks damned good in that suit.”

“That has nothing to do with this.” Arthur snapped.

“So you agree, he looks damned good?” Morgana asked. Leon smiled, but covered it with his hand.

Arthur groaned and pressed his forehead to the faucet.

“I’m going to say yes” Leon said helpfully.

“You did see Merlin, right?” Morgana asked Arthur with a raised brow.

“Of course, I saw him.” Arthur ground out. “How could anyone miss him? He walked into the banquet looking like an advert for cologne and sex.”

“Wow.” Leon mouthed silently to Morgana. She only rolled her eyes.

“For the entire time I’ve known him he’s worn the same five pairs of cheap trousers with a worn out button down or sweater. Then he walks in wearing Armani and his hair looks like he’s actually put effort into it and I didn’t know his legs were that long.”

Arthur looked like he wanted to stick his head under the faucet and the only thing keeping from doing that was the fact that he would ruin his expensive suit.

A man stepped into the restroom, and paused as he saw Arthur with his face pressed against the sink and Morgana in her dress and stilettos. “Um…” He looked around confused, his eyes landing on the urinals as if he wasn’t sure if he was in the right place.

“Just take a piss or give us a moment, yeah?” Morgana raised a challenging brow at him.

“I think I’ll wait.” The man said and backed out slowly.

“Good man.” She said and turned back to Arthur.

“Merlin does look very nice tonight.” Leon said again, with an awkward cough. “Maybe you should compliment him.”

Arthur looked up, “Are you mad?”

“What could possibly happen, Arthur?” Morgana said with another roll of her eyes. “You go up to your friend and say ‘Hey, Merlin. You look very nice tonight.’” She waved her hand causally, “And leave the whole ‘You look like sex and we should shag’ for another time.”

“Morgana!” Arthur gasped, looking completely affronted.

“Arthur, you’ve been skirting around Merlin’s long legs for years.”

“I have been doing no such thing!” Arthur said. “I just can’t…That’s weird and you know it!”

“I think Merlin would like the compliment.” Leon said with a shrug.

“You are not helping.” Arthur snapped and Leon raised his hands and backed away.

Arthur looked down at the sink, looking like he wanted to rip it out. “How did Merlin even get an Armani…” He paused, his shoulders stiffening. Morgana looked at the ceiling innocently.

“You.” Arthur growled, pointing a finger at his sister. “You did this. Merlin wouldn’t dress himself in a suit unless he was forced.”

“I gave him a suit. I didn’t force his limbs into the garment.” Morgana said in a pretend naïve voice.

“Why would you do this!” Arthur asked, his voice rising and sounding betrayed.

“Arthur, come on.” Leon intervened. “Merlin doesn’t look that different in a suit. It’s still the same bloke who shows up to work in a sweater.”

“Oh no…” Arthur pressed his fists against his eyes.

Morgana glared at her boyfriend, and Leon gave her a wide-eyed confused expression. “What?” he mouthed. She mouthed back “Shut up.”

“He’s like a dumb kitten in a bow tie.” Arthur groaned.

“Alright, time to get off your ass.” Morgana said resolutely. She grabbed Arthur’s suit and straightened it with a practiced hand. Turning him on his heel, she pushed him to the door. “You are going to go out there Arthur Pendragon. You are the CEO of this company and you are going to look your assistant in the eye and tell him he looks lovely. Come on, Pendragons get shit done.”

Arthur’s tight lipped expression and pushed together brows looked akin to the face he used to make in university right before a football match. He took in a deep breath. “Pendragons. Right. Look him in the eye and tell him- hang on!” Arthur tried to turn around but Morgana was a determined woman in stilettos and he wasn’t going anywhere.

Morgana was close to pushing him out the restroom when Merlin appeared in the door, looking very confused. “Morgana?” He asked.

Leon waved. “Hi, Merlin.”

“Hi.” Merlin said, looking back to the Pendragon siblings with a raised brow. “Everything alright?” Arthur gaped with him with owlish eyes and Morgana was ready to just shove them into a stall together.

“Actually, now that you mention it, I think Arthur needs help with his suit. Oh speaking of suits, Merlin I think your tie is a little crooked.” She promptly tugged on the bow and Merlin squawked as his tie twisted. “Arthur, be a dear and help Merlin? He’s not used to ties like you are.”

She pushed Merlin and he tripped into Arthur’s arms. Arthur was holding Merlin by the waist, his eyes wide, and Merlin was holding his shoulders like a damsel who had fallen into his arms.

“Come on, Leon.” She took her boyfriend by the hand and led him out of the restroom.

“Bye” Leon waved at the pair with a slightly apologetic shrug.

***

Lance looked at his watch.

“Arthur was supposed to do his speech twenty minutes ago.” He said.

He looked at Gwen and Morgana, who looked guilty and proud of it.

“Are they still in the restroom?” Gwen asked Morgana.

“I’ve blockaded it.” Morgana said as she sipped her champagne. “Not that they’ve tried to come out.”

Gwen took a sip of her wine. “Our work here is done.” She held up her hand, and without looking, Morgana gave her a high five.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Because I have this idea that Arthur never wears casual clothes so when he does where a simple t-shirt, Merlin freaks out, and since Merlin is always casual, Arthur freaks out when he dresses up. 
> 
> Reineyday has made some [art](http://reineyday.tumblr.com/post/125469579214/from-the-fic-casualformal-by-supercalvin) for this fic and you should definitely check it out :)
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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